Wadia S7i direct to amp

06-26-10: Krellfan2002
I have a Wadia S7i at home and play with the Pass XP20 and XA160.5 but I prefer the preamp. Without the preamp I miss some body and dynamics. For me the preamp adds something.

the statement above makes absolutely no sense to me. the preamp can only work with the signal being provided by the source signal. so if the preamp "adds something" then what it is doing is coloring the source signal.

wadia provides variable outputs where the preamplification is performed in the digital domain. the biggest problem that i have observed is when you adjust the variable output level too low. in theory, once you get below an output level of 65, you are starting to lose significant bits in the digital stream. in theory this would translate into less resolution. if you are at an output level of 75 or above, you probably aren't losing any significant bits.

the other problem that you can encounter with direct connection is that with some low volume level source material (typically classical recordings since volume level is rarely a problem with popular recordings) the playback volume can be lower in comparison to connection through a preamp. by default wadia provides an output voltage of about 2vrms (i assume this is the output measured from the single-ended outputs and so i assume that the default is about 4vrms when using balanced outputs). as i stated, this is adequate for most recordings (for reference, power amplifier gain is usually measured based on a single-ended input signal level of about 2vrms). however, if it isn't the volume can be adjusted to produce a voltage output of up to 4.25vrms by setting all the internal DIP switches to the "open" position. if that output level is still not sufficient for the source material, then you would need to use a preamplifier. but presumably, in this case you are using the preamplifier to provide additional signal amplification with accurate reproduction of the source, as opposed to provide coloring of the source.

of course, if coloring is what you want in your preamplifier (which is basically what you get with tube amplification) then that is entirely legitimate since all this stuff is a matter of personal preference. the point i am trying to make is that if you seek "transparency", then you aren't going to do better than direct connection from the wadia to the power amplifier; the potential limitation being that the direct connection may provide insufficient signal gain depending on the source material.

@paperw8 have you tried what you are explaining?
It's just, the statement by krellfan might not be wholly unexptected, if the pre substitutes something otherwise missing.
As to me: I did not fully like my 781 into Berning. But of course i will try again with the coming S7i.
Wish me luck for not needing a pre anymore. Wouldn't that be neat?

The volume control in the Wadia is decent. But, it is no match for a great preamp. A preamp can provide a more natural presentation with dynamics, texture, layering, and body. This is not about lack of transparency or color. In comparison, the digital volume control can sound constrained, 2-dimensional, and less involving. If you enjoy the perception of increased detail with the Wadia direct, then that is fine. I personally don't think some of that direct detail sounds real (i.e. black background, sharp note transients, shortened decay), so in a way, that can also be considered a coloration.

11-27-10: Egidius
@paperw8 have you tried what you are explaining?
It's just, the statement by krellfan might not be wholly unexptected, if the pre substitutes something otherwise missing.

if your question is: have i driven a wadia directly into a power amplifier? the answer is yes.

if your question is: have i driven a wadia s7i directly into a power amplifier? the answer is no, because i have a wadia 381 [i will leave it to the reader to determine how much difference that should make].

if your question is: have i modified the output voltage delivered by the wadia by flipping internal DIP switches? the answer is no because when i drive the wadia directly into the power amplifier i almost never set the output level of the wadia at 100%. generally i set the output level in the 65% to 85% range depending on the recording level of the source material.

to be more specific, i drive the balanced outputs directly into the power amplifier and i drive the single-ended inputs to a preamplifier. i primarily tend to drive the wadia through a preamplifier when i want to listen late at night. i live in a residential area, so i can't blast music late at night. when i use a preamplifier i set the output level of the wadia at 100% and vary the output volume at the preamplifier. the reason why i do this is because the sound tends to become thin when you turn the digital output level at the wadia too low (as i described earlier).

but as i stated, ultimately all of this stuff is a matter of preference. if it sounds better to you when you drive the wadia into a preamplifier, then you should drive the preamplifier from the output of the wadia. but what i am telling you is that when you do that, you aren't getting greater "transparancy"; instead, what you are getting is the sound produced by the wadia after it has been colored by the electronics in the preamplifier: that is the "something otherwise missing" to which you are referring.

I own a Wadia S7i, and I have ekspermitteret with preamps with my S7i.

The conclusion was very clear. There is a HUGE difference between preamps, and there is also no doubt about, that a good preamp does it _much_ better than the digital preamp built into the Wadia S7i. For those who may doubt my conclusion, try using a Classé Omega MK III, Tidel Preos or Viola Cadenza.

The cost for a good preamp is definitely worth the price, compared to the improvement of the sound.